


Closer To The Moon (Closer To You)

by xiulaces



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Space fluff, also small side sebaek if you squint, lots of pining, oblivious soo is oblivious, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 02:47:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12878556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiulaces/pseuds/xiulaces
Summary: Minseok is a stowaway on Kyungsoo's very messy spaceship, and he just can't stop himself from cleaning up after the Captain.





	Closer To The Moon (Closer To You)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! First off thank you to the exonaut mods for being so patient and wonderful and amazing I couldn't have done it without you, you guys deserve a life supply of cookies. And thank you so much to the prompter of this lovely idea, I hope I didn't deviate too much from your prompt hdks. Hope everyone enjoys yee

The fluorescent lights illuminated Kyungsoo’s path as he trudged towards his ship, kicking up some dust angrily and watching it hover above the ground before it sank back down. He threw an almost unnoticeable tantrum on his way back, sulking and pouting as he recalled his boss’ rant from earlier. He’d gotten in trouble for losing his log sheet where he kept track of his travels and how much time he spent at each zone and what he traded, causing the company’s record keepers much distress. 

_“I am a merchant,”_ he reasoned in his head, _“My ship is bound to be a bit messy, and things go missing sometimes. I’ll find it soon, and then that old fart can eat his words.”_

 

He glared at the setting moon, it’s light quickly fading. The moon should look alarming, as it loomed dangerously close to the planet, but no one payed it any mind. He ignored the greetings of his coworkers, making a beeline for his ship. But luck was not on his side.

“Hey Kyungsoo!” an annoyingly gentle voice called, “I got a new drop assignment for you.”

“What is it Junmyeon? Another puppy delivery?” he sassed. Junmyeon was his sector’s leader, in charge of trades of the western space where Kyungsoo had been assigned, but he was also one of Kyungsoo’s oldest friends, so there was no need for formalities between them. 

Junmyeon blinked, “Did the boss chew you out again? I told you to clean your ship.” 

“I’m too busy for that nonsense,” Kyungsoo grit out, crossing his arms in defiance. 

“Busy playing your games you mean-” Junmyeon teased, “Anyways, this drop is important, it’s being delivered to the president of planet Kokobop.”

“Planet Kokobop?” Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows. It was a fairly new establishment, the planet having only been discovered a hundred or so years ago, so Kyungsoo hadn’t had a chance to visit it. 

“Yep. I know how much you’ve been wanting to go check it out so… despite some reservations I picked you to make the drop. I know deep down you can be responsible, Kyungsoo. Don’t let me down,” Junmyeon instructs as he signals the loading machines to start placing boxes onto Kyungsoo’s ship. 

The merchant scoffs, taking the holo-list from Junmyeon and scanning the items. “Balloons? Confetti? This is your important drop Jun?” 

“Yep. President Oh requested them himself from a specialized party crafter in another space zone. They’re for his birthday party I believe.” Kyungsoo looks down at the list again in disbelief. 

“Hey I hear the president’s pretty chill,” Junmyeon whispers playfully, “Maybe he’ll invite you if you play your cards right.” 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, Junmyeon knew he hates parties and would rather stay somewhere quiet and play video games. It was a miracle he’d been able to maintain this job for this long honestly. He bids his friend-slash-boss farewell as he heads off to pack some supplies for the journey. Planet Kokobop is pretty far from the other planets in the space zone, so he’d need to pack heavy. 

He inspects his crate filled with various non perishables before nodding to himself and signaling for a loading robot to take it to his ship. He hauls his suitcase behind him; perhaps he had packed too much food, but the small paranoid part of his brain reminded him that it was better to carry twice as much as needed and have left overs, than have half of what he needs and starve. The food wouldn’t go bad anyways, so he could always put anything he didn’t end up using back. 

He trudges along the blue dirt road, observing his co workers milling about the grounds as they loaded and unloaded ships. Some bid him a good trip quickly as they hurry past him and he responds this time, having cooled down from earlier. Maybe he would do some cleaning later and try to find that log list. Maybe. He startles as a shadow moves behind one of the boxes on his ship’s hull, but pays it no mind as he notices a flock of Lunave, moon birds, passing by. They were a species of birds that could fly in space and in planet’s atmospheres but only on the sides of the galaxy the moon shined, and also unfortunately what Kyungsoo’s ship was named after due to its shape. Kyungsoo tsked as he checked off the last box, placing the holo list haphazardly on top of it. 

“All set!” he called through his com device as he closed the door to his ship, signaling to the tower to clear him to depart. 

He walks towards the front of his ship, pushing away some leftover boxes and packing material from the hallway, clearing a small path for himself through the clutter, not really paying it any mind as he steps over a rotting sandwich. He spots a thermos and grabs it with the intention of refilling it, dumping the questionable remainders in the sink and wiping off some sludge from his sink with a towel.

 _Ready to Depart_ a computerized voice rings throughout the cabin as his Telecom flashes, _Ship Lunave 1299 Is Cleared for Departure to Planet Kokobop. May You Have Safe Travels._

Kyungsoo makes his way to the space ship’s helm, strapping himself in and gearing for ignition. He flips over the correct switches, running a quick diagnostics before initiating launch. Once the system gives him the green light that everything is up to date he starts up the engine, gripping the main controllers and looking sharply at the runway ahead as he pushes the controllers forward, the ship moving at his command. He rockets into space, setting his route on the ship’s navigation system. Once he’s a safe distance from the heavily populated departure zone and on a steady course he unclips his seatbelt and stands, stretching his limbs. He walks towards his room, grumbling as he steps on an unknown substance that sticks to his shoe. His bunk is the only decently “clean” area of the ship, since he puts a bit of effort into keeping his things in their rightful place. He scans the small space, conveniently not noticing the pile of dirty clothes, looking for his laptop. He finds it in it’s charging port and pulls it out, noticing his alarm clock was blinking strangely. _I’ll ask Junmyeon to look at it later_ He thinks, cursing that despite how far technology had come, things still couldn’t just fix themselves. 

He lugs his computer back to his chair at the ship’s front, settling himself in comfortably as he loads up his favorite game, _Galaxy Battles_. He skips the intro and goes into the “quick play” screen, waiting to be matched up his other players. He gets absorbed quickly, setting the ship to autopilot while he indulges, failing to notice the shadow creeping around the hull. 

\-----

Minseok stretches from his hiding spot behind some boxes labeled “Deluxe Extravaganza Supplies,” moving warily once he hears silence after all the rustling around had settled down. The ship seems to have settled on a steady course now, so he deemed it safe to come out, assuming the Captain was resting. He peeks out carefully, scanning the room and finding it clear, so he steps out from where he was crouched down for the beginning of the trip. He looks around the room, trying to find some more good hiding places when he steps onto something squishy, causing him to jerk back into the list the Captain had abandoned, causing it to clatter onto the ground. Minseok clasps his hands over his mouth, holding his breath and listening for noises from the cabin, ready to bolt. 

But nothing comes. He hears a disgruntled groan and some cursing from afar, but nothing else. He exhales shakily, glaring down at the pudge that had tainted his shoe. It was rather foul smelling, and sticky and blue, and not things that Minseok wants combined on his shoe. He glances around frantically, hoping to spot a rag, or anything to clean with to no avail. Instead he only manages to make himself more anxious upon the sight that greets him. Dirty clothes, discarded trash littering even the _walls_ , forgotten food and dishware, and a questionable stain on the ceiling. He feels faint suddenly, and goes to lean on the wall, wondering what mess (literally) he had gotten himself into. He feels his hand collide with something, and looks up to see a (possibly mutated) sock. Stuck to the wall. He almost screams. 

Instead he backs away hurriedly, being careful of his surroundings this time. “Deep breaths Minseok,” he whispers to himself. He looked around more determinedly, taking quiet but steady steps towards the doorway the captain had carelessly left open. He slips into a room quickly, nearly tripping on a coffee cup. He huffs, closing the door quietly, and looks around at the even bigger mess and the withering plant in the corner with a disappointed sigh. “This won’t do,” he mutters, his lips curving down into a frown. His foot nudges something as he moves around, and he glances down warily, spotting a handle peeking out from yet another pile of clothes and rags. He tugs a bit, and manages to uncover a broom. Minseok can’t help but smile a little, feeling a little bit of hope in the despairing situation. 

\---

Kyungsoo stretches with a groan. His joints pop and protest at the movement, stiff from sitting for hours. He rubs his eyes tiredly, pushing his glasses up and yawning a bit. He blinks down at his computer, he’d been gaming for four hours already, and the night cycle was almost done. He sighs and turns off his device, tucking it under his arm as he stands and makes his way to his room after making sure the ship is still on course. He hears a faint shuffling down the hall, and pauses but dismisses it quickly, something had probably fallen. He collapses onto his bed immediately after plugging his computer back into its port, knowing he has to be awake again in only a few hours and drifts off to sleep, dreaming of the whir of vacuum cleaners and fresh food. 

He’s awoken two hours later by a loud bang, and the rustle of something rolling. He blinks, adjusting to the light and reaching for his glasses. He looks toward his his alarm clock blearily, looking at the broken display of time and groaning again when he realized how early it was. He hears another sound down the hall and he startles, stopping to listen for a second. He hears nothing else, so he shrugs. A box somewhere probably fell, he reasoned, and goes back to sleep. 

He wakes again an hour later, and lets out a sigh of frustration, giving up as he puts on his glasses and stands, stretching. He combs a hand through his hair wearily as he sets about his ship, looking for something to eat. He blinks as he passes the unused storage room, turning around and stopping at its door. Had it always looked so… clean? He questioned. Everything was in order, his clothes were in a neat pile and the boxes were stacked safely, all traces of leftover food gone. He didn’t even remember that the floor had been blue. The only thing that looked out of place was the dying plant that Baekhyun had given him. He set his mouth in a firm line as he glanced around. He shrugged however, and went on his way to the kitchen, dismissing his thoughts about the room. He grabbed a bowl of cereal and filled it with milk, going back to his room for his laptop and setting up his usual perch at his captain’s seat, getting ready for another day in the virtual world. 

\---

Minseok let out a sigh of relief from behind the stack of boxes he had hidden as the captain walked out of the room again. He waited for the man to pass again, and for the telltale sounds of Galaxy Battles to start up before he stepped out of his hiding spot. He rummaged in his backpack, taking out a breakfast bar and leaning back against the wall, eating peacefully as he listened to the captain curse at his teammates. He stood suddenly, and grabbed a water bottle he’d found discarded and dumped the remainders on the sad looking plant. It seemed to perk up a bit almost instantly, and Minseok smiled, adjusting its artificial sunlight a little better before heading back out. He peeked his head out, making sure the captain was still occupied before creeping back towards the ship’s cargo hold. He picked up a discarded box, using it to hold all the garbage that he picked up, and alternated between sweeping and cleaning the walls. When he was done there, he started reorganizing the current cargo against the walls, and in alphabetic order. He wiped his brow, satisfied with his progress, and quietly headed back to his nest in the extra storage room, careful to avoid the oblivious captain. 

The days passed like that, Minseok would find different things to organize and clean, and he would avoid being spotted by the captain. Which wasn’t hard to do, seeing as he spent the majority of his time at the front of the ship, only leaving to eat and rest. Minseok shook his head disapprovingly while he watched the captain laze about. It was such an unhealthy lifestyle. After seeing the Captain’s ramen remains in the trash day after day for a week, he figured enough was enough. He headed back to the kitchen and started washing whatever wasn’t disposable. He waited a few moments, making sure the captain wasn’t coming down anytime soon, and started to work. He decided to make the man eat at least one decent meal. He was going to end up killing himself early if he kept up his current diet of snacks. _Which is fine,_ Minseok thought hastily, feeling himself blush a bit, _”I don’t care if he gets himself sick, as long as it’s after he gets me where I need to go.”_ He worked quickly, making a warm vegetable soup since it tended to get a bit cold in space, and laid it on the usually abandoned table, heading back to his corner behind the boxes, and waiting for the captain’s footsteps to pass. 

\---

Kyungsoo stared at the plate in front of him, bewildered. Had his ship come alive and decided to feed him? He sat down warily, momentarily forgetting his game in the face of this new mystery. He picked up the spoon and dipped it in, carefully taking a bite. His eyebrows shot up, as he stared at the soup in front of him in wonder. “This is delicious,” he breathed out, inhaling the rest of the meal. He didn’t care where it came from anymore. He was just glad it had been there. He dutifully took his dish to the sink, surprised by the lack of dirty dishes. “Did I do the dishes?” He questioned out loud. He supposed he had, he just couldn’t remember for some reason. Feeling full from his dinner, he headed back for his computer, shutting it down and setting it to charge before tucking into bed, early for once. 

He was just beginning to drift off when his receiver suddenly started beeping insistently, signalling an incoming call. He groaned, sitting up and pushing the answer button. “What is it Baekhyun?” 

“Kyungie! Hello!” the other man chirped at him, “Are you out amongst the stars?” 

“Yes Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo said blandly, “Some of us actually do our jobs.” 

The other pouted at him, but otherwise ignored his statement, “Where are you off to this time, Kyungie?” 

“Planet Kokobop. I have an important royal delivery,” Kyungsoo announced proudly, smirking a little. 

Baekhyun, however, had the audacity to snort, “Important my ass, You’re probably delivering the president’s party supplies.”

Kyungsoo stared at his friend, “Wh- How did you know about that?” 

The other boy waved a hand, “It’s the grandest event of the year, everyone knows about it. And of course I’ve been invited. As always.” 

“You?” Kyungsoo questioned incredulously, “Always?” 

It was Baekhyun’s turn to smirk, “As one of the galaxy’s leading clothing designers I’ve had the pleasure of making the Prince’s… acquaintance. Many times. And he always makes sure to invite me to his party. He’s a darling really.” 

Kyungsoo blinked at this new information. “Well.” 

“How are things over there Kyungie? Everything still looking like a Lunave threw up all over your ship?” 

“Excuse me,” Kyungsoo defended, “It wasn’t that bad.” 

Baekhyun’s ears perked, “Wasn’t?” 

“Well… Things are cleaner now,” the captain answered vaguely. 

“How so?” Baekhyun pressed. 

 

“They just are,” Kyungsoo answered. Baekhyun stared at him thoughtfully for a few seconds before shrugging and moving on. 

“Come make a pit stop at my planet,” he said, in a tone that said it wasn’t a request. 

Kyungsoo sighed, nodding before letting out a yawn. “Can I please get some rest now?” 

Baekhyun laughed, “The great Do Kyungsoo, reigning champion of _Galaxy Battles_ , knows the meaning of sleep? I’m proud of you Kyungie, you’re becoming human again.” 

“Ha ha,” Kyungsoo laughed, unamused. “I’ll stop by your planet in two days, mid-day cycle. Good night Baekhyun,” he hung up before the other boy could say anything. He took off his glasses again, rubbing his eyes tiredly and glancing at his clock. It however, had frozen, a permanent 0823 staring at him, unblinking. He groaned, taking the thing and placing it out in the hall. He would go into town with Baekhyun when he arrived and get it fixed. He went back to his bed, pulling the covers over himself and letting the quiet hum of his ship lull him to sleep. 

He woke up to a loud buzzing with a start, climbing out of bed to find the source and almost tripping over something outside his door. He picked up the item, and was startled to find himself staring at his now functioning alarm clock. The numbers were flashing the correct time, the hologram display proudly showing all its functions in hues of violet and blue as it shrieked at him to wake up. _It’s working a little too well,_ he thought grimly as he turned off the alarm, placing it back on his bedside. He stopped suddenly, wonder and fear gripping him briefly, as he stared back at the device. _Why_ was it working? He scrutinized the device, opting for a shrug. It must have banged against something during the night cycle, he decided. 

He set about his day, heading to the kitchen. He stopped by the door to the spare storage room, peeking in through the window in the door. He didn’t remember closing the door before, but he payed it no mind. What caught his attention was the plant inside, now looking much better than before; it actually looked like it might live, and the clutter that had been around it was now gone. His voice of reason from earlier came back, reassuring him: _You’ve been driving a little recklessly, the trash must have fallen off and knocked the light back into place. And maybe the plant’s easily adaptable or something_. He nodded to himself, satisfied with his reasoning and went back to the kitchen, never opening the door. 

On the other side Minseok exhaled a sigh of relief, hand over his chest as he took a breath, his stiff back aching with how hard he pressed against the door. He had been careless, losing track of time after fixing the clock, and had barely managed to slip into the room and quietly shut the door when he spotted the captain making his way down to the kitchen, following his usual routine. He couldn’t help but to notice that the captain looked a bit better already, the bags under his eyes had reduced a bit, and it looked like he had taken a shower; making his hair look really nice and soft, especially when the Captain had run a tired hand through it--Minseok blinked, bewildered. He had _not_ just checked out the Captain of the ship he was on. That was unacceptable, even if it had only been a second. He had to admit however, albeit begrudgingly, that the Captain did look kind of nice, and that those glasses he wore made him look extra adorable, and maybe Minseok liked listening to his deep voice sometimes. Minseok frowned at his thoughts, panic fluttering in his chest. Oh no. 

He cooked again for Kyungsoo that night, making him a salad out of spite (How dare you be cute). He added some toast on the side though, because he didn’t want the man to suffer too much. He waited in the safety of his storage room, munching on one of his own meal bars as he listened for the Captain’s footsteps. He heard him stop at the door of the kitchen and could hardly suppress a smile, imagining the other’s round eyes going even wider as he spotted the food. He heard the chair scrape as the Captain sat down, and heard the crunch of the first bite, and the subsequent groan. “Why the fuck is it a salad this time,” he heard him grumble, and Minseok couldn’t hide his delighted grin this time. Nothing but crunching could be heard for a few minutes, and Minseok had thought that that was it when the Captain finally spoke up again in a defeated tone,“At least it’s actually good, but some fish would be nice next time.” Minseok made a mental note, amused that the Captain was setting his own menu. He felt proud though, that he seemed to like his cooking; all those years fending for himself and others had come in handy. He moved away from the door once he heard the Captain head towards his room, following suit and turning in for the night. 

He woke later than he usually did the next day, to find that the ship had ceased its movement. He sat up quickly, gathering his things and tucking them in one of the empty boxes. He heard movement outside his door and unfamiliar voices getting closer, and he flattened himself against the wall, as he saw a shadow pass by- his heart thrumming in his chest. “Wow, you’ve really cleaned up nicely Kyungie,” he heard a higher voice say. 

The Captain- Kyungie? Responded with a sigh, “I didn’t. I told you- the ship just, cleaned itself I dunno.” 

One pair of footsteps stopped, “You weren’t kidding about that? Kyungsoo you know that’s impossible, ships don’t _do_ that. Has anything else weird been happening?” 

The other pair of footsteps, _Kyungsoo’s_ , Minseok’s brain supplied unhelpfully, stopped too and Minseok held his breath, knowing he would mention the food, and the fixed random appliances, and he would be caught. He could get away with tricking Kyungsoo, not because the Captain was a fool, he was just simply too lazy, but it seemed like his friend would not be easy to outsmart, and he didn’t know if he could be able to outrun two men on an unfamiliar planet. 

To his surprise however, Kyungsoo said “No,”changed the subject, and kept walking. Minseok was stunned, staring blankly in confusion. Had he been caught? Or had Kyungsoo really not found the random food and working appliances strange? He was so caught up in his thoughts he almost missed the footsteps back, only catching that they were heading to town to buy more supplies. He slumped onto the floor when he heard the ship’s hatch close, putting his head between his knees. This was too stressful, and risky, he should really grab his stuff and slip off the ship right now, while he had a chance, and catch the next ship to wherever. But, he hesitated, looking towards the door, he’d promised the Captain fish for dinner. Even if the other man didn’t know, he’d feel bad. And maybe he was too soft for Kyungsoo for his own good, but damn it all. One more meal, and then he would leave at the next planet they stopped at. He nodded to himself, and waited for the Captain to return. 

Minseok had almost dozed off again, when he heard the clang of the doors opening, and the measured footsteps of the captain approaching where he was hiding. Minseok held his breath as Kyungsoo drew nearer, exhaling once the Captain passed his room, heading towards his usual spot with his games. He waited a few more minutes before surfacing, heading quietly towards the kitchen. He set about diligently and quickly, wanting the food to be his best as it would be his last, but not wanting to get caught, since grilling fish was a bit less subtle. He set the plate down when he was done, looking down at the plate wistfully. He would miss this a bit when he left, he admitted, he would maybe miss Kyungsoo a little too. He turned to leave, listening for the tell tale signs of the Captain’s game, only to almost choke when he found himself looking straight into the Captain’s eyes. He backed away quickly, startled, and bumped into the table, his mind going into overdrive as he took in the Captain’s form, blocking the door and staring at him, arms crossed across his chest, and Minseok was trapped, there was only one way out of the kitchen, and even if he got through, where would he go? They were mid flight. 

He let out a whimper unintentionally, cursing at himself for being so stupid, and something shifted in the Captain’s expression. He held Minseok’s gaze, looking at him with curiosity and Minseok was too afraid to break contact, but finally the Captain looked away, eyes settling on something behind Minseok. 

Minseok watched in amazement as the Captain’s mouth formed a smile, and he couldn’t help but be enchanted by it despite the situation. He frowned at the Captain, wondering what was going on, because Kyungsoo looked way too relaxed suddenly for someone who had just caught a stowaway on board. 

It was the Captain who broke the silence first, looking at him with that smile still on his face, “You made me fish.” 

Minseok blinked, thrown off by the unlikely situation (was this a trap?), looking behind him to where the food lay, steam still rising off the plate. “Uh,” he cleared his throat, it’d been awhile since he’d spoken to anyone, “Yeah I- heard you say you wanted some.” 

“So you’re my mystery chef,” Kyungsoo said, more of a statement than a question. 

Minseok nodded, still unsure, and Kyungsoo mirrored his action, “I supposed I should thank you then. Those were the best meals of my life, excluding my mom’s cooking of course.” 

Minseok was most definitely dreaming, or maybe he was dead already. “Ah, thank you, I mean- you’re welcome,” He finished lamely, and Kyungsoo’s grin widened. 

“I hope you don’t mind me asking you then,” Kyungsoo paused looking at him pointedly, and Minseok startled a bit before awkwardly telling him his name. 

“Minseok,” Kyungsoo repeated warmly and continued, “If you could please join me for dinner this time.”

“Huh?”

“Well,” Kyungsoo took a careful step into the room, almost like he was afraid to scare Minseok away. “You’ve cooked for me, and I feel it would be rude if I didn’t invite you to share the food.” 

Minseok stares at the man, utterly dumbfounded, sitting down tentatively. Kyungsoo smiles, moving around to set up the dishes, splitting the fish in two. He starts eating, blissfully unaware or perhaps not caring of the conflict Minseok is going through as he hesitantly says, “Do you not...I’m. A stowaway?”

Kyungsoo looks up at him, amusement in his eyes as he responds, “Really now?” 

Minseok nods quickly, “I’m here illegally.”

“Fascinating.”

Minseok groans in frustration, leaning back in his chair to glare at the man , “Why aren’t you kicking me out?” He sounded offended, which made him more upset. But Kyungsoo had ruined his grand escape plan. 

“Well for one, we’re in the middle of space, and I don’t quite fancy becoming a murderer by throwing you out,” Kyungsoo states causing Minseok to huff. 

“Why are you sitting there eating my fish then?” 

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, “I was under impression this fish was for me. And they’re my supplies that you’ve taken liberty of, aren’t they?” 

Minseok looks down, embarrassed, “That’s not what I meant. I never stole any of your supplies.” 

Kyungsoo smiles at him softly, “I know that. I may not look like much but I do keep track of my rations and supply stock daily. It was one of the reasons I ruled out someone might be here in the first place. None of the supplies were gone. How have you been living these past days?” 

“I brought my own food,” Minseok said, to which Kyungsoo looks at him questioningly. Minseok blushes, “Ok, I brought meal bars.” 

Kyungsoo clicks his tongue in disapproval, “And I thought I was bad. From now on you can eat with me here. There’s more than enough food for the both of us, help yourself.” 

“You’re letting me stay?” Minseok whispers, stunned. 

Kyungsoo nods firmly, “For as long as you’d like.”

“How can you just trust a stranger so easily?” 

“Well, I was thinking about it while I was in town, and I figured someone who hasn’t stolen anything, and cooks for me and has helped turn this wreck of a ship into something decent can’t be too bad. Besides if you wanted to kill me you would have done so already. Thank you by the way, for everything.” Kyungsoo grinned. 

“I can’t possibly stay for free,” Minseok insisted, a bit shy from the praise. 

“I think the work you’ve done is more than enough for rent. But if you really want to, maybe cook every so often? I really like your food,” Kyungsoo said, the tips of his ears turning red and Minseok’s heart felt warm. 

“Ok,” he said, and he and Kyungsoo shared a smile. 

\---

Kyungsoo opened the door to the spare storage room with Minseok behind him, surveying Minseok’s current living situation. 

“I have a guest room I would offer you, but I’m afraid something might have died in there some months ago,” Kyungsoo said, scratching behind his ear awkwardly. 

Minseok laughed, “Don’t worry, I’m used to sleeping on the floor of spaceships. But if it’s ok with you, I can clean it tomorrow?” 

“ _We_ can clean it tomorrow,” Kyungsoo corrected, shocking Minseok for the thirtieth time that night cycle. 

“Are you sure?” Minseok asked, incredulous.

“Don’t look so startled,” Kyungsoo grumbled, “I’m capable. Besides it’ll be more fun if we do it together.”

Minseok laughed finally, feeling the anxiety from the day finally leave him as he relaxed, the bizarre situation feeling almost like destiny. 

He wiped a tear as he calmed down, finding Kyungsoo still smiling at him, the look of wonder still in his eyes. 

Minseok nodded to himself, almost as if to affirm that this indeed was really happening. “I’ll see you tomorrow then Captain. Bright and early.” 

Kyungsoo nodded too, turning to head back out the door, “Good night Minseok.” 

The next day found Minseok standing over a groggy Kyungsoo, still in bed, and rubbing his eyes as he practically threw his alarm clock across the room. 

Minseok looked at the Captain in disapproval, “I just fixed that you know.”

Kyungsoo ignored him in favor of burrowing further in his blankets. “I didn’t think you meant the bright and early part seriously,” he groaned, and Minseok tried not to think about the extra rasp in his already deep voice too much. 

“It’s not that early,” Minseok defended and Kyungsoo scoffed, “And we’ve got a lot of work to do.” 

He waited a few more seconds, but Kyungsoo still showed no signs of life, and Minseok was beginning to feel awkward. _What am I doing?_ He thought, as he sighed and started to leave.  
“Wait,” Kyungsoo stopped him, and he turned back to look at the Captain, “Have you had breakfast yet?” 

Minseok nodded, but was interrupted before he could continue. 

“Actual breakfast, not a meal bar.” 

Minseok coughed, looking away awkwardly before shaking his head. He hadn’t. 

Kyungsoo sighed, pulling himself out of bed. “Let’s go eat then.” 

They head together to the kitchen, and Kyungsoo sits him down in the same chair as yesterday, putting a bowl of cereal in front of him before he could blink, and making another for himself. “Eat up,” Kyungsoo said, waving his spoon before joyfully digging into his own food. 

 

Minseok smiles, shaking his head a bit as he takes a spoonful. They eat in silence, enjoying each other’s company, sneaking glances when the other wasn’t looking. 

“So,” Kyungsoo clears his throat, breaking the silence, “We’ll be making a stop at Planet L-1485 tomorrow to refuel. Did you want to help me?” 

Minseok’s eyes brightened instantly, “I would love to! I’ve never been there but I’ve heard it’s beautiful. I’ve always wanted to go and see the Lucky Gnomes, I hear they’re adorable. Can I really go?” 

Kyungsoo was looking at him both amused and almost...fond. Minseok realized with a start that he had been rambling and almost apologized but Kyungsoo beat him to it. “Of course you can go,” the Captain said, “I would love to have you with me.” 

Minseok cleared his throat, looking back down at his plate. “Thank you,” he answered quietly, and really, Kyungsoo had no business being so kind and adorable. 

“Are you done? I’ll wash the plates,” Minseok stood as he spoke, already reaching for the Captain’s empty plate. But Kyungsoo skillfully moved his plate out of the reach of his hands. 

“I’ll wash them, you’re my guest.” 

Minseok sat down again, letting out an exasperated sigh as Kyungsoo instead took his plate, heading to the sink. 

“There’s still plenty of time for me to become a murderer you know,” Minseok pouted. 

Kyungsoo laughed, “I’ll keep that in mind.” 

They headed to the guest room when they were done, Minseok bringing along a full stock of cleaning supplies. Kyungsoo scoffed, offended, “It’s not _that_ bad.” 

Minseok looked at him skeptically, pushing open the door to the room. A pungent odor hit them immediately. Kyungsoo at least had the tact to look sheepish, “Ok. Maybe it is.”  
Minseok shook his head, starting to pick up what was unsalvageable, and the trash. “How did you even let things get to this point?” He asked. 

Kyungsoo shrugged, “I honestly don’t know. I spent most of my time playing games and traveling, that I guess I just became accustomed to the mess.” 

“I guess we could never live together,” Minseok joked, “I’m too much of a clean freak for this.” 

He turned to look at the Captain when he didn’t receive an answer and found him looking down at a discarded ramen bowl, chewing his lip while he frowned. 

“Hey,” Minseok nudged him gently, not sure why the Captain was upset, “I was kidding. I’m sorry.” 

Kyungsoo shrugged. “It’s not you,” he answered vaguely, picking up the bowl and stuffing it in his trash bag. 

“Oh,” he exclaimed suddenly, picking up a holo stick. “It’s my missing list!” 

Minseok laughed, “The one I heard you getting in trouble for before we departed?” 

Kyungsoo groaned, “You heard that?” To which Minseok only laughed harder. 

“How the fuck did this list even end up here?” he glared down at the device, opening it to make sure it was still functioning. 

“Better put that somewhere safe right now before it gets lost again,” Minseok warned, and Kyungsoo dutifully went and put it by his bedside. 

They spent the rest of the evening cleaning, with Kyungsoo in charge of taking out the trash while Minseok cleaned the areas he cleared, and taught the Captain ways to make cleaning more enjoyable. Kyungsoo found he actually liked vacuuming, and ended up finishing up the room himself, much to Minseok’s delight. 

“There may be hope for you yet,” Minseok teased as they headed out of the room. 

Kyungsoo shoved him playfully towards the bathroom, Minseok’s skin tingling at the brief contact. 

“You wash up first,” Kyungsoo offered, “I’ll finish clearing off the trash.”

Minseok nodded, heading inside the bathroom. A wave of exhaustion hit him as he stepped in the shower, they had spent a long time cleaning, and he was a bit sore. But it had been really fun to spend time with Kyungsoo, so he wasn’t really complaining. He grabs a towel as he steps out, drying his hair as he looks around. 

Minseok gasps, slapping his forehead as he realizes he forgot to grab clean clothes in his haste to take a shower. He groans as he wraps the towel around his waist, checking in the mirror to make sure it covered what it was supposed to before taking a peek outside. The Captain was nowhere in sight and he could clearly see the door to the storage room. “Ok, I can make it,” he whispered to himself, taking a deep breath before stepping out, making a beeline straight for the room. He was not even ten steps away when he heard the door slam shut across the hall from where he stood, and the Captain’s voice greeting him. 

“Oh Minseok are you done- already…?” Kyungsoo trailed off, and Minseok felt himself flush as he slowly turned to face the other man, hands tugging self consciously at the towel. 

“Yeah, I” he coughed, struggling to sound casual, “Forgot my clothes.” 

“Oh,” Kyungsoo said, eyes trained on Minseok’s torso and cheeks a bright pink, “You should get them then.” 

Neither of them made a move to leave. 

Minseok snapped out of it first as the cold spaceship was drying his skin uncomfortably. He straightened, still trying to act nonchalant as he continued towards the room, “I’ll start on dinner while you shower.” He didn’t wait to hear Kyungsoo’s reply as he quickly shut the door behind him. 

He already had the plates set up by the time Kyungsoo arrived at the kitchen, hair still a bit damp from the shower. 

“Ramen tonight?” The Captain questioned, sitting down eagerly. 

“I was inspired by those empty bowls in the room,” Minseok explains, “I added some fresh ingredients though.” 

“It looks delicious, thank you.” 

The silence as they ate was a bit awkward this time, and every time they tried to talk to each other the conversation ended with curt replies. Kyungsoo stood to clear the dishes again, and Minseok let him do so with no complains. 

“I think I’m going to head to bed early,” Minseok said as he stood, “I’m pretty tired.” 

“Same here,” Kyungsoo replied as he dried his hands, “Don’t forget to use the room we just cleaned. There’s no need to sleep on the floor anymore. I’ll wake you when we get to Planet L-1485, get some rest.” 

Minseok nodded, yawning as he turned to leave. “Good night Captain,” he waved. 

“Kyungsoo,” The Captain said. 

Minseok stopped, looking back at him in question. 

“Call me Kyungsoo,” he clarified. 

Minseok felt a slow smile form on his face, “Ok. Good night Kyungsoo.” 

“Good night Minseok.”  
\---

 

Minseok woke in time to feel the ship give a lurch as it landed, causing him to sit up quickly on the bed. He jumped out, dressing quickly, checking himself in the mirror before running out the door and almost bumping into Kyungsoo who was coming his way.

“Woah, good morning to you too,” Kyungsoo laughed, catching him before he could knock them both over. 

“Good morning Kyungsoo” he answered quickly, practically bouncing from excitement, “Are we here?” 

“Yes,” Kyungsoo answered simply, still smiling at Minseok’s antics. “Let’s eat before we head out though.” 

“Ok,” Minseok agreed, already on his way to the kitchen. Kyungsoo could only shake his head as he followed him. 

Minseok was the first one out of the door, taking a deep breath of the fresh air on Planet L-1485. Kyungsoo followed closely behind him, making sure the ship was locked before falling into step besides Minseok. He nudged the other man, leading him towards the town, “Come on, you wanted to see the Gnomes didn’t you? I hear they make excellent coffee.” 

Minseok gasped, “They do? I love coffee.” 

Kyungsoo nodded, reaching up to fix his glasses as they walked, “Their cafe should be open by now.” 

They walked side by side, with Minseok fawning over the planet’s colorful flora as they headed to the town center. They were almost at the cafe when Minseok let out a sudden screech. Kyungsoo turned around quickly, startled, and found Minseok staring at the tiny gnome with a red pointed hat on its head, holding a sign promoting the cafe in its tiny hands. 

Kyungsoo let out a laugh, his eyes crinkling up and his mouth forming a heart with how hard he was laughing. For all of Minseok’s excitement- he was afraid of the tiny gnomes. Minseok turned to look at him with a frown, and Kyungsoo quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, it’s just. They’re so small. They can’t hurt you.” 

“I know that,” Minseok answered defensively, crossing his arms, but pointedly not looking at where the tiny creature was waving its sign around. 

“Do you still want to go to the cafe?” Kyungsoo asked gently, “We can do something else if you want.” 

Minseok sighed, braving another glance at the gnome before turning back to Kyungsoo quickly, “No, it’s ok. Let’s go. I’ll regret it if I don’t try it.” 

Kyungsoo nodded, starting to walk again before a hand grabbed his, stopping him. 

“But,” Minseok started, teeth worrying his lip, “Maybe we can get our order to go?” 

Kyungsoo agreed, squeezing his hand reassuringly. It was only when they were at the door of the cafe that he realized he still hadn’t let go. He released the other’s hand quickly, apologizing, but Minseok quickly shook his head, looking around with wide eyes as he reconnected their hands. 

Kyungsoo gave his hand another squeeze, leading them to the counter, where another gnome with a blue hat stood on top of the extended table, calling out orders. He felt Minseok flich besides him, and quickly placed their orders, leading Minseok to a corner far from where the gnomes were working while they waited for their drinks. 

They were ready impressively fast, and Kyungsoo went to grab them while Minseok waited at the door. 

“That wasn’t that bad was it?” Kyungsoo prompted gently when they were a good distance from the cafe. 

Minseok groaned, facepalming, “I don’t know why I reacted like that honestly. They’re just talking babies with hats.” Kyungsoo laughed, agreeing. “Where are we going now?” Minseok asked him. 

“It’s a surprise?” Kyungsoo responded a bit hesitantly. 

Minseok raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his drink. “You’re not gonna murder me instead and feed me to the gnomes are you?” 

Kyungsoo scoffed, “As if. They’re vegetarian.” Minseok laughed, and intertwined their hands when they next brushed together. 

Kyungsoo looked around in confusion, “There’s no gnomes around Minseok.”

Minseok blushed, taking another quick sip. “I know.” 

Kyungsoo smiled, looking down shyly as he gave their hands a squeeze. They walked in silence, enjoying the scenery and each other’s company. He heard Minseok gasp as they came to a clearing, a big lake greeting them, the sun bouncing off its surface. Kyungsoo lead him to a bench near the water, and they finished their drinks in the company of the trees. 

“So,” Kyungsoo broke the silence, “We’ll have to go and refuel before the night cycle starts, and then we’ll be making a jump directly to Planet Kokobop. I have an important delivery for President Oh.” 

“Ah yea I heard,” Minseok said, “The party supplies.” 

Kyungsoo nodded, “It’s at the end of this week cycle. Apparently my friend Baekhyun is invited since he knows the President somehow.” 

Minseok whistled, impressed. 

“I wanted to ask you,” Kyungsoo hesitated, “Where are you planning to go after we reach Kokobop?” 

Minseok looked at the lake, “I guess I’ll be catching the next ship to wherever, as per usual.” 

They fell silent, not knowing what to say as the tension stretched. Finally, Kyungsoo stood. “Let’s go,” he said, “It’s getting dark.” 

Minseok headed back to the ship while Kyungsoo refuelled the ship and dealt with other merchants. He trudged morosely to the kitchen, placing a bag of take-out they’d purchased on the way to the ship on top of the table.. _”It’s our last night together,”,_ Kyungsoo had said, _”So let’s just relax before the jump.”_

Minseok wanted to stay. Everything in him was begging him to stay, and live by the Captain’s side. But to what future? The Captain hadn’t asked him to stay, and who was he to burden the other man further with his feelings? They were better off carrying on with the order of things, and continuing as strangers. He split their food into two plates with a sigh, jumping as he heard the door close and Kyungsoo stomped in. 

“You look upset,” Minseok pointed out. Kyungsoo startled, seeming to not have noticed him there. Minseok frowned a bit at that. _See? He’s already forgetting I’m here._

"Sorry, I was just spacing out," Kyungsoo apologized, settling on the chair.

"It's ok," Minseok shrugged, "Everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything is going as it's supposed to," he said, not sounding like he actually liked the news. Minseok decided not to push however, setting down a plate in front of the tired looking man. They ate slowly, making casual conversation; neither of them discussing what was really on their minds. That neither of them wanted the other to leave.

\---

 

They arrived at Planet Kokobop without a hitch, the tropical sun blinding them as they stepped out of the ship. "Wow," Minseok said as he looked around, "Everything looks so new and advanced."

Kyungsoo nodded, also admiring the land, "It's still a fairly new planet. I hear the President is quite young too."

"Ah," Minseok said, entranced by the tall buildings in the distance whose windows reflected the sun.

"Hello!" A cheerful young voice chirped from their left. Minseok turned, doing a double take as he found himself looking up at a very tall man. He had not expected that voice to go with that height.

"Are you the merchants on behalf of the party supply store?" The man spoke again, still too cheerful for how early it was.

"Yes we are," Kyungsoo answered, leading the man to the storage where all the boxes were, "Are we waiting for the unloading team?"

"Oh no," the man smiled, "It's just me. I'm Chanyeol by the way. I work with the President."

"Captain Kyungsoo," the Captain introduced himself, squinting up at Chanyeol through his glasses, "And this is my partner Minseok."

Minseok blinked, looking at the Captain, who only gave him a small shrug.

"Nice to meet you both," Chanyeol replied, pulling out a device. "If you would please hand over the holo list for these items I'll get started on transferring them to the palace."

Kyungsoo dutifully handed it over, making his way to where Minseok stood so Chanyeol could inspect everything. "I actually had the list ready and organized," he whispered gleefully to Minseok.

Minseok tilted his head at him in confusion, so he explained further, "It usually takes me a half an hour to find it at the least. Or it's just. Gone forever. It's all thanks to you that my life's a little better."

Minseok blushed, "You're exaggerating."

"What am I going to do without you," the Captain whispered. Minseok blinked, looking towards him in question. Before either of them could say anything though they were interrupted by a loud thump.

"All set!" Chanyeol boomed out. All of the boxes had been cleared. Minseok and Kyungsoo turned to each other in confusion.

"Oh before I forget!" Chanyeol reached into his pocket, pulling out two envelopes.

"The President asked me to give these to you both. You're officially invited to his birthday party!"

"The President did?" Kyungsoo repeated, incredulous.

"Well," Chanyeol relented, "The President's friend Baekhyun did. And President Oh can't say no to Baekhyun. Don't tell anyone I told you that though."

Kyungsoo met Minseok's equally wide eyes again, both of them shocked. "Baekhyun," Kyungsoo groaned under his breath.

Chanyeol continued blabbering, "I don't blame the President though, Baekhyun can be very convincing for such a small dude," he lowered his voice to a mumble, "Although I'm sure his methods for convincing the President aren't standard for everyone else-"

"Thank you!" Kyungsoo interrupted loudly. His poor ears had heard too much, and even Minseok looked slightly disturbed. "We'll be happy to attend."

"We will?" Minseok questioned.

"We will."

"Great!" Chanyeol exclaimed, seeming relieved for the topic change too, "We'll see you guys at the President's estate in two day cycles then." He bid them farewell, exiting the ship.

Both men exhaled once Chanyeol left. "Baekhyun is too smart for his own good," Kyungsoo said, "How did he figure out you were here?"

Minseok shuddered, "I don't know him, but he kinda scares me."

"I know him and he definitely scares me," Kyungsoo agreed. "With the President. Really. How did he even manage that?"

They looked at each other for a beat, before bursting into laughter, both in awe at the outlandish situation they found themselves in.

"Hey," Kyungsoo said after a moment, sobering slightly. "You don't...actually have to go if you don't want to. I was just trying to get him to leave before I found out anything else I didn't want to know about my best friend."

Minseok tilted his head a bit, contemplating, and Kyungsoo internally cooed at him.

"But I would really like it if you went," he hastily added. _Stay with me a little longer._

Minseok smiled at him, "Are you asking me to go with you, Kyungsoo?"

Kyungsoo gaped, stunned into silence. He saw Minseok's eyes go from a teasing glint to hesitance, and quickly said, "Yes?"

"You don't sound sure," Minseok said.

Kyungsoo took a deep breath, "Minseok, will you please accompany me to the party?"

Minseok's eyes got bigger, looking as if he almost hadn't expected Kyungsoo to actually ask.

"I will."

They spent that day and the next out and about, exploring the capital and buying stuff for the party. Before they knew it, it was the night before the celebration. 

They were almost done with dinner when Minseok suddenly spoke, “I found my next ship.” 

Kyungsoo almost choked, but played it off cooly, trying to appear unfazed. “Really?” 

“Mhhm,” Minseok nodded, eyes trained on his food, “They leave right after the party, and it’s a huge trade ship bound for EXO Planet. They won’t even notice I’m there.” 

“They will if you start cleaning,” Kyungsoo joked lightly, feeling his heart break a little. 

“Don’t worry,” Minseok smirked, “I’ve only ever done that for you.” 

They looked at each other again, these meaningful silences seeming almost common between them now. Minseok however, looked almost hopeful, expectant, as he looked back at Kyungsoo. 

“I hope you have a good trip,” the Captain said, because he didn’t know what else he was allowed to wish for. 

Minseok looked back down at his food, playing with it a bit before moving his plate away and standing and suddenly everything felt wrong; but still Kyungsoo did not dare. 

“Thank you,” Minseok said, “I’ll see you in the morning. Good night.” 

“Good night,” Kyungsoo called after him. 

He dreamt of darkness, and an empty ship that night. 

He awoke to the blaring of his alarm clock, but he couldn’t bare be angry at it this time. _Minseok fixed that for me,_ he thought, looking around his room. His eyes landed on the plant that had been in the old storage room. They had moved it to Kyungsoo’s room once it had been revived so he could take care of it. _He fixed that too_. All around his room, lay littered things that Minseok had fixed or restored. Including himself. He laughed in a self deprecating way. But Minseok was not his to keep. 

He got up reluctantly, still groggy from his fitful night of restless sleep. He grabbed his clothes and headed to the bathroom to wash up. There was silence from the room next to his, and he bravely peeked in, finding Minseok curled up around a pillow, still asleep. He stared at the other man for a moment, wishing time could stand still, and they could stay like this for a little longer. But he knew time was his enemy. He sighed, heading back out, silently shutting the door.

Minseok woke slowly, his dreamless sleep clinging to him. He looked at the clock and jumped out of bed. _My last day with Kyungsoo and I slept half the day away,_ he chided himself, grabbing his clothes and running to the bathroom. He got ready quickly, stumbling into the kitchen with his hair still dripping. He stops, catching sight of Kyungsoo taking bite of a muffin, and feels his heart melt instantly. He couldn't even stay mad at him, not with him looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. And definitely not with him looking so dashing in his new suit. 

“Hi,” Minseok said, a little breathless.

“Hey,” Kyungsoo said, sounding awed, “You look nice.” 

“Thank you, so do you,” Minseok said, lopsided smile on display. 

Kyungsoo cleared his throat awkwardly, “Are you ready to go?” 

Minseok nodded, and they headed out together to the President’s estate. 

They were greeted by a loud bang as someone popped one of the large balloons in the center on accident, and Kyungsoo startled, putting his hand in Minseok’s instinctually. Minseok gave his hand a small squeeze, “Don’t worry. I got you.” Kyungsoo smiled at him, and they walked together to where the President was standing. 

“Shit,” Kyungsoo groaned upon seeing who was standing next to the President.  
“Is that…?” Minseok started. 

“Yep.” 

“Kyungie!” Baekhyun exclaimed upon seeing him; his eyes however were all over Minseok, who shuddered. Kyungsoo subconsciously pulled him behind him a bit. “What a surprise to see you here,” Baekhyun continued, eyes going down to their intertwined hands. Both men instantly let go. 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at his best friend, “Yes we were surprised also. Greetings President Oh, thank you for the invitation. The party is lovely. My name is Do Kyungsoo, and this is my companion Kim Minseok.” 

The President nodded at them both, “I’m very happy you could make it, please enjoy your stay.” 

They both bowed, scurrying away quickly before Baekhyun could open his mouth again. Kyungsoo turned towards the bar, nudging towards it, “I’m going to get a drink, want anything?” 

Minseok shook his head, “No thanks. I need to keep a clear head for tonight.” 

Kyungsoo looked away, “Right.” He definitely needed a drink. 

He found himself cornered by his best friend in no time. 

“He’s leaving isn’t he?” 

Kyungsoo groaned, Baekhyun surely had psychic powers. He felt the other man scrutinize him, but he refused to turn and look at him, opting to order his drinks. He was going to need more than one with how the night cycle was going. 

“And you’re letting him go.” 

“Shut up Baekhyun,” he pushed the other man away, chugging his drink. 

“Why are you letting him leave?” Baekhyun pushed. 

“It’s not my place to ask him to stay.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “Are you kidding? He’s practically begging you to ask.”

Kyungsoo looked at him then, incredulous, “No he’s not.” 

“Kyungsoo. I love you but you’re an idiot,” Baekhyun reprimanded him, “You’re happy with him, I can tell. And he looks at you like you like a Lunave looks at the moon. You would be a fool to let him go.” 

Kyungsoo froze, looking back to where Minseok was sitting only to find the other had been looking at him already. He saw Minseok jump a millimeter before sheepishly grinning and giving him a little wave. Kyungsoo waved back, turning back to Baekhyun. 

“Point proven,” Baekhyun declared, having watched the exchange, “Now if you’ll excuse me, Chanyeol’s calling me. Try not to do anything you’ll regret.” 

Kyungsoo downed his last shot quickly, heading back to where Minseok was waiting.

“Hey, are you ok?” Minseok asked when Kyungsoo was close enough. “Did Baekhyun say anything?” 

Kyungsoo shook his head, placing a smile he hoped was pleasant on his face, “He was just being silly. Do you want to walk around?”

They looked around at the many exhibitions, from performers to vendors, to a tiny swarm of a species of fire breathing mice looking things doing tricks. Kyungsoo didn’t want to keep thinking about what Baekhyun had said, so he grabbed another drink from a passing waiter. And another. Soon he was pointing out different things to Minseok, proudly announcing that he had delivered those, and Minseok laughed at his antics. “I think you’re already drunk!” Minseok giggled at him after seeing his poor attempt at imitating one of the dancers on stage. 

“Am not!” Kyungsoo exclaimed, “Dance with me and I’ll prove it.” 

Minseok rolled his eyes at him, but held his hand out anyways. Kyungsoo led them out to the floor, pulling Minseok in close. They stared into each other’s eyes as they swayed to the beat. Kyungsoo confidently lead the dance, placing his hand on Minseok’s waist. 

“See?” he teased, “I’m fine.” 

Minseok scoffed, “I’ll believe it if you make it through the night without falling over.” 

Kyungsoo pouted without meaning to, “And if I do fall who’s going to take care of me? You’ll be gone.” 

Minseok fell silent- nothing but the music between them, while Kyungsoo stared at him. “Sorry,” he apologized. 

Minseok shook his head, “Don’t be.” 

“Don’t leave,” Kyungsoo whispered. 

Minseok looked at the other sharply, not sure he heard right. He felt his heart beat faster as he spoke, “What?” 

Kyungsoo hesitated before looking into his eyes, repeating more firmly, “Don’t leave. Stay with me. Please.” 

Minseok stood, stunned, and both of them stopped moving in the midst of all the swirling bodies on the dance floor. “You want me to stay with you?” Minseok repeated for good measure. Kyungsoo nodded. “Why?”

A pink tint lit up Kyungsoo’s cheeks as he answered, “I really like you, and I think we work well together.” 

“You like me…?” Minseok trailed off, still wary.

“As in more than a friend,” Kyungsoo said, mortified. 

“Oh,” Minseok stated, “Well that’s good.” He gave the Captain a peck on the nose, “Because I do too.” He leaned forward again to give him a kiss on the lips. 

Kyungsoo gasped when they parted, both of them slightly dizzy from the kiss. 

“Does that mean you’ll stay?” Kyungsoo asked, voice slightly raspy. He held onto Minseok’s waist tightly, afraid to let go.

“Yes,” Minseok laughed, pulling Kyungsoo into a hug, “I thought you’d never ask.”


End file.
